Christmas with a Kay

Merry Christmas, everyone!! It is now 18 minutes into Christmas 2011. This is J's and my first Christmas together and, as most couples know, sharing Christmas with two families can be complicated!

Here's the breakdown for this weekend:

Christmas Eve:

1. Exchanging my gifts with J's family
2. Christmas Eve service
3. Out for dinner with J's family
4. Going home and opening "one" (or 3!) gifts with my family (without J)

Christmas Day:

1. Making my traditional Christmas breakfast (sausage and cheese pockets)
2. Church with my family (since it's on Sunday this year)
3. Exchanging gifts with my family - with 6 siblings and 2 parents, that can take a while! J's coming over for that, too
4. Leave with J at 1:00 to go to his aunt's house (we may be late...)
5. Leave from there to go to my aunt's house with J around 5
6. Party till we drop!

Back and forth, here and there, this and that... There's a lot to do when you combine two families and their traditions. But I'm realizing that it's not a bad thing at all - there's no stress when you realize, this is fun! What's the worst that could happen, I'm a few minutes late to something and my family still loves me? Lol, what's new about that? And it's Christmas, after all... let's enjoy.

I been enjoying every second of it. From rocking J's 6-month-old niece to sleep (almost!), to good conversations over the dinner table, to staying up late with my siblings sharing the anticipation of Christmas morning, every second is ripe with enjoyment. If you don't enjoy it, then it's not worth it!

Ya know, every year I hear about not losing the "reason for the season" amidst all the hustle and bustle of holiday prep, but I think this year, instead of feeling guilty for not thinking enough about the birth of Christ, I'm going to rejoice in the blessings He's given me here and now - always remembering the Giver. How glad He must be to see me rejoicing in the gifts He has given me! That's my favorite part of Christmas, seeing the joy on my family members' faces when they open a gift well chosen. I'm sure God feels the same way.

Thank You, Lord, for the many, many amazing gifts You've given me! I treasure them every day, and even more so during this special weekend.

- Kay